By election results 2024 live: Labour win Wellingborough and Kingswood in double blow for Rishi Sunak
Labour has won by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood to land a double blow on Rishi Sunak.
Keir Starmer said the results showed "people are ready to put their trust in a Labour government". Firs to declare was Kingswood, with Damien Egan, the former Mayor of Lewisham, becoming the new MP with a swing of over 16%. That was later bettered in Wellingborough, as 28-year-old Gen Kitchen overturned a majority of more than 18,000. This means that the government has clocked up more by-election losses in a single parliament than any administration since the 1960s, and, in particular, the impact of Reform, is likely to put more pressure on Sunak.
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Kitchen apologises to husband for cutting honeymoon short campaign
Gen Kitchen - who first became a councillor at the age of 22 - has said a few words. She apologised to her husband for cutting their honeymoon short and said she would make it up to him after the election. Kitchen said: "I take my responsibility to every single constituent very, very seriously. Whether you voted for my party, another party or no party at all. I will serve you and work to earn your trust again. The Labour Party is ready to serve the people of this country and so many people across the constituency."
Snap reaction
My snap reaction from the count in Kettering on historic night for Labour and Reform UK, and a damaging night for Rishi Sunak.
New MP is 'ecstatic'
Gen Kitchen, the new MP for Wellingborough, said she was “ecstatic” at the result, and the double by-election win for Labour shows people are “fed up” and want change.
She achieved the second largest swing from Tory to Labour at a by-election since the Second World War.
“This shows that people are fed up, they want change, they want competency, they want pragmatism and they want politicians to under-promise and over-deliver, which is what I am hoping to do," she said.
“It shows how much hard work we put in and the real positive message we were putting out. There is a real appetite for a fresh start and change.”
Sunak says results are challenging
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the circumstances surrounding the Wellingborough and Kingswood by-elections were “particularly challenging” after the Tories suffered a double defeat to Labour at the polls.
And Starmer's take...
Sir Keir Starmer said Labour are “credible contenders” for the 2024 general election, but “that is all we are.”
“I’m very proud of that result, I’m proud of the work I’ve done as leader,” the Labour leader told BBC Breakfast.
“The progress we’ve now made from the worst results since 1935 to being now credible contenders, and that is all we are, for the 2024 election – I have to say, when I took over as leader most people shook my hand and said: ‘Good luck Keir,’ and in the next breath they said: ‘You will never do this in one five-year parliamentary term.’
“We’re trying to do, if you like, what Kinnock, what Smith and Blair did, over 13 or 14 years, in four short years.”
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